Reaction to comments earns $250 fine

A man who objected to another’s comments about his partner has been fined $250 for common assault, with an extra $50 in court costs.

Samuel Marsters Ioane was sentenced by Justice of the Peace Georgina Williams last Thursday in the High Court.

The court was told that the incident occurred at the Tumunu Bar.

Defence counsel Mark Short said his client said “the assault should not have occurred but the defendant had said some nasty things about his missus”.

“He was infuriated and that’s why he thumped him.

“It is no excuse. I have letters of support here from the people who know him.

“He’s not an aggressive or angry person, he shouldn’t have done what he did, but he couldn’t walk away from those comments about his missus.”

Short said Ioane is a hard-working builder and has never appeared before for this type of offence. He added the court should consider a suspended sentence and maybe a fine.

Williams said a major factor in her considerations was that the laceration across the eyebrow was quite big and with stuff on his chin that “indicates more than one punch”.

She added the injuries received were done by “quite brutal forced administered to the victim”.

Williams then handed down the financial penalty.

“The court feels a monetary fine shall be imposed due to the injuries the victim received, the laceration across the length of the eyebrow and bruising to the chin. This is the defendant’s first appearance in court for assault and so he is fined $250 and $50 court costs.”